Knot tying mechanism



Nov. 11, 1941.

M. N. NOLING KNQT TYING MECHANISM Filed July 17, 1940 2 Sheets- Sheet 1 ATTORNEYS Nov. 11, 1941. M. N. NOLING 2,262,035

KNOT TYING MECHANISM Filed July 17, 1940 2 Sheet s-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Mariin N. Nolm ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 11, 1941 KNOT TYING MECHANISM Martin N. Noling, Rockford, Ill., assignor to Barber-Colman Company, Rockford, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application July 17, 1940, Serial No. 345,882

14 Claims.

The invention pertains to a knotter mechanism of the rotary tying bill type, and has for its threads to be tied are seized in the rotation of the tying bill and held thereby by a clamping means common to both of the threads. It sometimes happens, however, that the threads are not always of uniform diameter and when the knotter is called upon to tie two threads of different diameters, the single clamping means is ineffective as to the smaller of the two threads. Moreover, it is sometimes desirable that the knotter mechanism be capable of tying two threads known to be of difierent sizes. For example, in changing the cloth being made it may be desired to tie a warp with threads of one count or size to a new warp composed of threads of a different count or size.

With the foregoing in view the primary object of this invention is to provide a knotter mechanism having a tying bill which is capable of separately clamping and efiectually holding the two threads being tied, notwithstanding the fact that.

such threads may be of different count or size.

A further object is to provide a knotter embodying a rotary tying bill with separate clamping means for the two threads, and which is of a simple and practical construction.

Another object is to provide a knotter mechanism embodying a rotary tying bill constructed to provide two thread-receiving openings spaced apart in a direction axially of the bill, and means operative in timed relation to the rotation of the bill for positioning the two threads relative to their respective openings in the bill.

Still another object is to provide an improved knotter mechanism for warp tying machines including a tying bill of the character set forth and means operative upon a selected pair of threads to position them to insure the positioning thereof relative to separate clamping means formed by the bill.

The objects of the invention thus generally stated together with other and ancillary advantages are obtained by the construction and arrangement illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of a warp tying machine equipped with an improved knotter mechanism, the parts being shown in the position occupied during the operation of stripping the knot from the bill.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective viewshowing a pair of threads being tied and heldin spaced relation for reception in axially spaced openings formed by the bill and just prior to the separat seizure and clamping of the threads. 7 I

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary detail view illustrating the means for stripping the knot from the bill.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the tying bill and associated thread guiding and positioning means, together with the cam actuating means for the movable members of the bill, a portion of the cam means being shown in section.

Fig. 5 is a similar View of the tying bill and associated cam means but showing the bill in its knot-stripping position.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken.

approximately in the plane of line 6-6 of Fig.4.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional View illustrating the manner in which the two threads are separately clamped with the parts in the position occupied immediately in advance of the operationof shearing off the waste ends.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view taken disclosed in U. S. patent to Colman No. 1,442,776;

The two threads to be tied are selected from two parallel warps A and B (Fig. 1) arranged one above the other in spaced parallel relation, the upper warp A being the old warp extending from the loom, and the lower warp B being the new warp extending from the warp beam. After the threads to be tied have been selected by the selecting means (not shown), they are presented by means of a reciprocating slide l 0 to the knotter mechanism comprising generally a rotary tying bill II, a threa-dguiding and positioning means l2 on one side of the bill, and a combined guiding and stripping means l3 on the other side of the bill.

According to the present invention the tying bill I! is constructed to provide a plurality of relatively fixed and movable members forming two separate thread-receiving openings respectively adapted to receive the two threads to be tied with means for positioning the threads for.

be driven unidirectionally by any suitable means such as worm gearing l5, the bill shank being J mounted eccentrically within a barrel cam l6.

Rigid with the shank l4 isa fixed clamping jaw.

or blade I! extending at an angle to the axis'of the shank and somewhat downwardly in the usual manner. Between this clamping jaw ll and the conventional bill spring I8 are two blades l9 and pivoted at2l to the jaw l1, and formed respectively with depending cam members 22 and 23 for cooperation with the stationary barrel cam I6, the latter being formed in a suitable supporting block 24.

The blade I 9 constitutes a combined shear blade and clamping member, and its cam member 22' cooperates with the stationary barrel cam [6 in the conventional manner sov as to be controlled positively at all times by the cam member. The blade 20 constitutes an auxiliary clamping member disposed between the fixed jaw l1 and the shearing and clamping blade [9. This blade 20 is also arranged for actuation by the barrel cam 16 but its cam member 23 is made substantially narrower. than the cam member 22 of the blade [9 due to the fact that relative movement between the two blades is. contemplated as will presently appear. I

In the first portion of the rotational movement of the tying bill the selected threads a and. b to be tied are twisted about the bill in the usual way to form the main loop of the knot as shown in Figs. 2 and 4 and through which the .sheared thread ends held by the bill are to be drawn in the final portion. of the operation to complete the knot. In Figs. 4 and 6 the blades [9 and 20 are shown in the fanned-out open position occupied thereby just prior. to the operation of seizing and clamping the two threads. In such position the blades cooperate with each other and with the fixed jaw member I! of the bill to form two thread-receiving openings and 26 for the reception respectively of the threads 0. and b positioned in spaced relation byv the guid-. ing and positioning means [2 as hereinafter set forth.

As shown, the opening 25 is formed between the blades 19 and 20 and the opening 26 is formed between the blade 20 and the fixed jaw member I] of the bill. Between the combined clamping and shearing blade [9 and the fixed bill spring 18 there is formed a single opening for the reception of both of the threads a and b, the opening being wide enough to receive the threads even though they be spaced apart for reception into the openings 25 and 26. The upper edge of the bill spring [8 is formed with a shearing edge 21 for cooperation with the blade IE to shear off the waste ends of the threads (Figs. 7 and 8).

In the rotation of the bill from. the position shown in Figs. 4 and 6, the movable blades are actuated by the cam means to seize and separately clamp the two threads. In this operation both edges of the cam member 22 of the blade l9 coact with the inner surface of the stationary barrel cam IE to actuate the blade I9 and move it toward its closed position. The blade 20 and its cam member 23 are permitted to move with the blade 19 and its cam member 22, but it is not positively actuated in the initial portion of the movement of the blade l9 due to the fact that the surface 23 of the cam member 23 is spaced from the inner surface of the barrel cam I6. However, due to the frictional engagement between the two blades and their respective cam members, the blade 20 tends to move with the blade I9 in a direction to close the opening 26 with the thread b therein.

To insure'final closing of the blade 20 relative tothe fixed jaw member I! the cam surface 23 of the member 23 engages the portion [6 of the barrel cam l6 (Fig. 5) at the same time that the corresponding surface of the cam member 22 of the blade I9 engages with such surface. To insure that the blade 20 shall not be moved by frictional engagement with the blade 19 beyond its closed position, means is provided for positively limiting the extent of closing movement of the blade 20. This means is in the nature of a lost motion connection between the'cam member 23 and the bill shank l4 and comprises in the present embodiment a stop pin 28 carried by the bill shank and projecting through a slot 29 in the cam member 23, the action of the stopin this operation being illustrated in Fig. 5. 29 designates a slot in the cam member 22 registering with the slot 29 in the cam member 23 and constituting merely a clearance slot for receiving the projecting end of the stop pin 28, said slot 29 being of sufiicient length to avoid interference by thestop of movement of the blade l9. I

It will be seen that in the operation of seizing and clamping the two threads, both of the blades l9 and 20 are actuated by the engagement of one or both of the cam members 22 and 23 with the barrel cam I6, and that the combined shearing and clamping'blade i9 is finally moved into coacting relation to the stationary bill spring or shearing member I8 to cut off the waste ends of both of the threads. By reason of the fact that the cam member 23 is made narrower than the cam member 22, relative movement between their respective blades is permitted, while excessive movement clue to friction is prevented. Positive movement of the two blades into fully closed or fully open relation is insured by the engagement of the cam members 22 and 23 with the cam surface I B of the stationary barrel cam l6.

The selected threads to be tied are pressed rearwardly in the operation of the reciprocating slide I0 and suitably guided for engagement by the knotter bill, substantially in the manner set forth in the said Colman Patent No. 1,442,776

with the exception that the thread-guiding and positioning means I2 is adapted to act upon the threads to space them apart preparatory to reception in the spaced openings 25 and 26 of the bill. This means comprises a stationary guide plate 30 shaped at its forward end to provide a. throatway having opposed oppositely inclined guiding surfaces 3| merging into a narrow slot 32 (Figs. 1 and 9). The lower edge of the slot 32 is shaped to provide a forwardly facing abutment in the form of a shoulder 33 for engagement by the lower thread b, the two threads in their rearward movement by the slide being spaced apart vertically a distance such as to cause them to be held against their respective guide surfaces. Rearward movement ofthe upper thread a is limited by the end of the. slot 32 disposed to the rear of the shoulder 33. Thus as an incident to the movement of the threads into the guide means the lower thread b is interrupted in its travel in advance of the thread 0., thereby spacing the two threads apartlaterally. With the threads thus separated in a front to rear direction, they are operated upon by a positioning-device for the purpose of spacing them apart vertically. This device comprises a spring finger 34 mounted upon a rocker member 34* (Fig. 2) and yieldably engaging the side'of the guide plate 30 which is adjacent the tying bill, the forward end of the finger being initially positioned somewhat below the slot 32 as seen in Fig. 9. In the upper edge of the finger are formed a deep forward notch 35 and a relatively shallow rearward notch 36 positioned respectively directly below the lower thread abutment 33 and the upper thread abutment formed by the rear end of the slot 32. The thread separating operation is effected by imparting an upward rocking movement to the finger 34 in advance of the rotational movement of the bill into the position shown in Figs, 2 and 4. In the present instance such rocking movement is accomplished by means of a cam 31 (Fig. 3) acting upon a depending follower 38 rigid with the rocker 35 and yieldably held against the cam by means of a compression spring 39. The cam 31 is mounted upon a shaft 4U.(Fig. 3) driven by suitable gearing including a spur gear 4! forming a part of the drive mechanism for the knotter.

- It will be understood that when the selected threads a and b to be tied are advanced rearwardly into the guiding and positioning means, the positioning finger 34 occupies a, position slightly below the slot 32. In the rotation of the knotter bill from the position shown in Fig. 1 to that shown in Fig. 4, the cam 31 and coacting follower spring 39 causes the finger to be raised into engagement with the overlying threads a and b carrying them upwardly with the threads lying in the notches 35 and 36. Because of the difference in the depth of the two notches, the threads are spaced apart vertically. At the same time the threads are yieldably clamped against the portion of the guide plate 30 above the slot 32. In this position the threads are alined with their respective openings 25 and 26 formed between the clamping members [9, 20 and I! of the tying bill as clearly shown in Fig. 4, so that in the continued rotation of the bill, the threads are properly received in said openings and thereafter by the clamping members of the bill while the knot is stripped from the bill and the ends finally pulled free of the bill. Any form of stripping device may be employed for this purpose. That herein shown comprises a rotatable book 42 (Figs. 1 and 3) mounted upon a shaft 43 and driven by spur gearing M from the shaft 40. The stripper hook swings in a vertical plane between two plates 45 and 45, which together with a hooked guide'member ll, constitute means for guiding and positioning the threads on the side of the bill opposite the guiding and positioning means l2.

Summarizing the operation, the two threads to be tied are advanced rearwardly to the knotter warp tying machine in a well known manner. The two threads are advanced into the guidin and positioning means l2 on one side of the bill and also into the guiding and positioning means 45, 46 and 47 on the other side of the bill, and in the initial portion of the revolution of the-bill the threads are twisted about the bill shown in Fig. 2 in the conventional manner. In advance of the movement of the bill into position to seize and grip the threads, the latter are operated upon by the positioning finger 34 to space the threads apart vertically as shown in Figs. 2 and 4. In this .position the threads are respectively alined with the openings 25 and 26 of the bill and in the continued rotation of the latter the threads are received into the openings in position to be clamped. Thereafter closing movement is imparted to' the combined shearing and clamping blade l9 and also to the auxiliary blade 20. In such closing movement the threads at and b are clamped separately, the thread a between the members l9 and 20 and the thread 1) between the members 20 and I1, so that irrespective of difierences in sizes of the two threads as shown in Fig. 6, the efiective clamping of both threads is assured. Finally the movable blades are moved into closed relation with respect to the members I 1 and I8, positive movement being assured by the engagement of both cam members with the surface Ifi of the stationary barrel cam as shown in Fig. 5. While the ends of the threads are held by the bill (Fig. 1) the stripper 42 operates to strip the knot from the bill. It will, of course. be understood that following seizure of the two threads by the bill, the positioning finger 34 is lowered beneath the slot 32 and the guide plate 30 so as to condition the slot for the reception of the next pair of threads to be tied.

Itwill be observed that by the present invention there is provided a knotter mechanism embodying a rotary tying bill capable of separately clamping two threads to be tied and thereby insuring that each of the threads Willbe clamped i eiiectually even though they be of different diameters. In the attainment of this result a simple and effectual construction is employed inVolVing the use of an auxiliary clamping member in addition to that heretofore commonly employed. both members being actuated in the rotation of the bill by the same cam and both threads being acted upon by a common shearing means while held by their respective clamping means. Moreover, accurate positioning ,of the threads for seizure by the two clamping means is assured by a simple device operated in timed relation to the tying bill.

I claim as my invention:

1. A knotter comprising, incombination, a rotatable tying bill having a fixed jaw, a pair of blades mounted for movement relative to each other and to said fixed jaw, and a stationary shear blade, and means operative in the rotation of the bill to position said blades relative to each 5 other and to the fixed jaw so as to form openings spaced apart axially of the bill and adapted to receive two spaced threads respectively, said means being further operative in the continued rotation of the bill to move said pair of blades relative to each other and to said fixed jaw to clamp said two threads separately and finally to move one of said blades relative to said shear member to cut off both of said threads.

2. A knotter comprising a rotary tying bill having a shank, a barrel cam encircling said shank,

mechanismby the reciprocating slide. ill of the.

said bill having a fixed jaw and a pair of blades pivotally mounted relative to said fixed jaw, and a cam member for each of said blades cooperating with said stationary barrel cam, one of said cam members having opposed edges continuously in contact with opposed-surfaces of said barrel cam and the other one of said cam members being relatively narrow and having a lost motion connection with said shank adapted to limit the extent of pivotal movement of its corresponding blade, said narrow cam member having a surface engageable with said barrel cam in diametrically opposite positions of the bill.

3. A knotter comprising, in combination, a rotary tying bill having a shank, a fixed jaw on said shank, a pair of movable blades pivoted on said fixed jaw, means for rotating said bill and actu-' ating means operative in the rotation of said bill to swing said blades, said actuating means comprising a stationary barrel cam encircling said shank and a pair of cam members respectively rigid with the two movable blades and cooperat-' ing with said barrel cam, one of said cam members having opposed cam surfaces engaging with said barrel cam only in diametrically opposite positions of the bill and respectively operating to hold its corresponding blade either in fully open or closed position relative to said fixed jaw member.

4. A knotter comprising, in combination, a rotary tying bill having a shank, a fixed jaw member, a bill spring providing a shearing edge spaced from said jaw member, a pair of movable blades mounted for pivotal movement between said bill spring and said fixed jaw member, an annular cam encircling said shank, a pair of cam members respectively rigid with said two blades, and means for rotating said shank, one of said cam members having opposed cam surfaces continuously in engagement with said annular cam member and operative in the rotation of the bill from a fully open position to a fully closed position relative to said bill spring, and the other one of said cam members being relatively narrow and cooperating with said annular cam member in the rotation of the bill to move the other one of said blades from an intermediate position between the fixed jaw member and the other blade into a fully closed position relative to said fixed jaw member.

5. A knotter mechanism comprising a rotary tying bill, thread guiding and positioning means disposed on opposite sides of said bill, means for rotating the bill to cause it to engage with a pair of threads positioned by said positioning and guiding means to twist said threads about the bill during the initial portion of the rotational movement of the bill, said bill comprising a plurality of relatively movable members, actuating means for said members operative in the rotation of the bill to position said members so as to form two thread-receiving openings spaced apart in a direction axially of the bill, and means operating in timed relation to the rotation of the bill for positioning said two threads in alinement with said openings for reception therein, said bill actuating means being operative in the continued rotation of the bill to close said openings and clamp said two threads separately.

6. A knotter mechanism comprising a rotary tying bill, thread guiding and positioning means including a stationary guide member positioned at one side of the bill and forming a guide for two parallel threads to be tied, means for rotating the bill to cause it to engage said two threads and twist the same about the bill inthe initial portion of the rotational movement of the bill, said bill comprising a fixed jaw member and a pair of blades mounted for pivotal movement 5 relative to said jaw member, means operative at a predetermined point in the continued rotation of the bill to position said blades relative to each other and said jaw member so as to form two thread receiving openings spaced apart in a direction axially of the bill, said thread guiding and positioning means further including a member movable relative to said guide member to en gage and separate the two threads so as to'position the same in alinement with said two open 5 ings in the bill respectively, and means operative in timed relation to the rotation of the bill for actuating said thread positioning member, said actuating means for the movable blades being operative in the final portion of the rotational ,movement of the bill to move said blades so as to close said openings whereby separately to clamp the two threads received in the openings.

'7. A knotter mechanism comprising, in combination, a rotary tying bill having a fixed jaw member and a pair of relatively movable blades,

a stationary thread guide at one side of the bill for the reception of a pair of threads to be tied, means operative at a predetermined point in the rotation of the bill to position said blades relative to each other and to said member so as *to form two spaced thread receiving openings, and means acting upon said threads in timed relation to the rotation of the bill to position them in alinement'with said thread receiving openings for reception therein in the rotation of the bill;

8. A knotter mechanism comprising, in combination, 'a rotary tying bill having a fixed jaw member and a pair of relatively movable blades, a stationary thread guide at one side of the bill 40 comprising a plate slotted'for the reception of a' pair of threads to be tied, means operative at a predetermined point in the rotation of the bill to position said blades relative to each other andto said' member so as to form two spaced thread receiving openings, a thread positioning member associated with said guide and having a plurality of notches for the reception of the respective threads, and means for moving said member into engagement with said threads, said notches being relatively arranged so as to separate said threads and position them for reception in said two thread receiving openings respectively.

9. In a warp tying machine, a knotter mech anism comprising a rotary tying bill, thread guiding and positioning means at one side of said bill including a forwardly opening slot, means for advancing a pair of threads to be tied rear-T wardly into said slot, said slot having an abut ment for one of said threads adapted to interrupt its movement in advance of the'other thread" whereby to separate said threads in a front to rear direction, means for rotating said bill adapted to cause said threads to be twisted about of the bill to position said movable members relative to said fixed jaw member and to each other so as to form two' thread receiving openings, and

a thread positioning device movable into engagement with said spaced threads and operative to shift the same into positions one above the other for reception respectively in the spaced openings of the tying bill, said actuating means for the tying bill being operative in the final portion of the rotational movement thereof to close said openings and clamp said two threads.

10. In a warp tying machine, a knotter mechanism having a rotary tying bill and actuating means therefor operative in the movement of the bill into a predetermined position to form two spaced thread receiving openings spaced apart longitudinally of the axis of the bill; means advancing two threads toward said bill; means interrupting the movement of one of said threads in advance of the other to space the threads apart; and a device operative in timed relation to said bill and acting to engage the threads, spaced apart and presented to the bill through the coaction of said advancing and'interrupting means, and shift them into alinement with respective ones of said two openings in said bill.

11. In warp tying machine, a knotter mechanism having a rotary tying bill and actuating means therefore operative in a predetermined portion of the rotational movement of the bill to form two spaced thread receiving openings spaced apart longitudinally of the axis of the bill; a member positioned at one side of the bill and forming two spaced guide surfaces; means advancing two threads along said surfaces respectively; means limiting the advancing movement of said two threads along said surfaces, and means operative upon the threads when moved into their limit positions, through the coaction of advancing means and said guide surfaces and said limiting means, to shift the same into alinement with the two openings in the bill respectively.

12. A knot tying mechanism comprising, in combination, a rotary tying bill having a shank, two relatively stationary members spaced apart laterally and two blades mounted for movement between and relative to said fixed members, means rotating the bill, means operative in the rotation of the bill to actuate said movable blades and operative in the movement of the bill into a predetermined position to position said blades relative to each other and to said fixed members to form two thread receiving openings spaced apart in a direction axially of the bill shank, and means holding a pair of threads to be tied in spaced relation and respectively in position to be received in said openings in the rotation of the bill, said blade actuating means being operative in the continued rotation of the bill first to clamp the two threads independently and then to shear both threads simultaneously.

13. A knotter mechanism comprising, in combination, a rotary tying bill having a shank and a plurality of thread clamping members mounted for relative movement, means for rotating said bill and actuating means operative in the rotation of said bill to produce relative movement between said members and form two threadreceiving openings spaced apart in a direction generally axially of the bill shank for the reception respectively of two correspondingly spaced threads, said actuating means being further operative in the rotation of the bill to close said openings and to clamp said two threads separately.

14. A knotter mechanism comprising, in combination, a rotary tying bill having at least three outwardly projecting blades thereon, means pivotally supporting said blades for movement about a substantially common pivot point from a fanned-out open position in which said blades define between them a plurality of thread-receiving openings to a closed position in which said blades are all in registry and successive blades in substantially face-to-face engagement, whereby threads received in said openings when the blades are open will be clamped between corresponding pairs of blades when the blades are in said closed position, means rotating said bill, and means moving said blades relative to each other between said open and closed position in timed relation to the rotation of said bill.

MARTIN N. NOLIN G. 

